Fluid pressure operated lift for tools and the like



Sept. 24, 1957 v v. FRANK 0 FLUID PRESSURE OPERATED LIFT FOR TOOLS AND-THE LIKE Filed April 7. 1955 INVE TOR yefn/on L. 77221- gmbeahw ATTORNEY/ FLUID PRESSURE OPERATED LIFT FOR TOOLS AND THE LIKE Vernon L. Frank, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Sara Agnes Frank, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application April 7, 1955, Serial No. 500,007

3 Claims. (Cl. 254-93) This invention relates to fluid pressure operated lifts for tools and the like.

In many cleaning operations, and particularly in the interior of tanks, the bunkers of ships and the like, air operated vibratory scalers, air operated rotary brushes and the like, are employed. The use of equipment of this nited States Patent character on overhead operations is particularly diflicult,

not only because of the weight of the equipment but also because of the violent agitation to which the user may be subjected and the falling material. 7

No wholly satisfactory supports for apparatus of this character have heretofore been available.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a fluid pressure operated lift which is simple in construction, and which has a wide range of usefulness.

It is a furtherobject of the present invention to provide a fluid pressure operated lift with a tool support and provisions for fluid delivery so that the same fluid utilized for operating the lift is available for tool operation.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a fluid pressure operated lift having a tool support and manually operable provisions for changing the position of the tool support.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a fluid pressure operated lift having a tool support and a base construction which permits of quick and easy movement of the lift to different locations.

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the specification and claims.

The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part thereof, in which:

Figure l is a view in perspective of a lift in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical central sectional view of the lift shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawings herein are illustrative merely, and that various modifications and changes may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a cylindrical tube is provided, of suitable length in accordance with the height desired. The tube 10 is preferably provided at one end with a hollow spherical base 11 secured thereto in any desired manner, such as by welding, the welding being indicated at 12.

A fluid supply connection 13 is provided, connected to any suitable source of fluid, such as air, under pressure, which is connected through a valve 14 and fluid connection 15 to the interior of the base 11.

The tube 10, at the opposite end thereof, is provided with a guide 16, preferably in engagement with a threaded portion 18 at the end of the tube 10. The guide 16 has an interior opening 19 for the reception of a second and smaller tube 20 which is disposed in telescoping relation to the tube 10 and is movable through the opening 19 in the guide 16.

The tube 20 is preferably provided at its lower end with a piston 21, preferably threaded thereon, for engagement with the interior of the tube 10. The exterior of the piston 21 is preferably provided with a pair of, spaced grooves 22 having packing rings 23 therein, of the type known as O-rings.

The tube 20, at its upper end, has a collar 25 thereon adjustably secured in clamped relation to the tube 20 at the desired elevation by a clamp bolt 26 extending through a spaced projection 27 and in threaded engagement in a projection 28. A supporting plate 29 may be provided carried by the collar 25, for the reception of an implement or tool 30. The tool 30 may be of any desired type in accordance with the operations to be performed, such as an air operated vibratory scaler, an air operated rotary brush, an air operatedpaint sprayer, or other suitable fluid pressure operated implement or tool. An L 31 may be provided on the top of the tube 20 for delivering air to the tool or implement 30.

' The guide 16 preferably has, on the exterior thereof,

, a pair of diametrically extending opposed pivot pins 32 upon which the bifurcated end portions 33 of a lever 34 are mounted. The lever 34 has a link 35 pivotally connected thereto on a pivot pin 36 which extends to a clamping-collar 37 on which it is pivotally mounted by a pivot pin 38. The clamping collar 37 is adapted to be adjusted at the desired location on the tube 20 and held thereon by the engagement of a clamping bolt 39 extending through an outwardly projecting portion 40 and into threaded engagement with an outwardly projecting portion 41.

While the lift shown may be made of any suitable materials, it is preferred to employ materials which are not subject to corrosion or rusting, stainless steel being a suitable material for many purposes for the parts other than the packing rings 23 and the pipe 13.

The mode of use will now be briefly explained.

With a suitable tool or implement 30 mounted and supported on the supporting plate 29 and connected to the L 31, the clamping collar 37 is loosened so that the tube 20 is free to move to its lowermost position. With the fluid connection 13 connected to a suitable source of fluid under pressure for operating the tool or implement 30, the valve 14 is opened to admit fluid into the interior of the spherical base 11. The pressure of the fluid is effective for moving the tube 20 and the parts carried thereby upwardly until the tool or implement reaches the location at which it is to be used.

The area on which the pressure fluid is effective for elevating the tube 20, and the structure carried thereby, is the internal area of the tube 20, the pressure being that eflective in the interior of the spherical base 11, the tube 10, and the tube 20.

When the tube 20 has reached the desired height, the clamping collar 37 is then tightened by means of the bolt 39, and with. the link 35 and lever 34 limits the upward movement permitted the tube 20.

In using the tool, it is frequently desirable to with draw the same from contact with the surface being Worked upon and the lever 34 is available for this purpose. It may be readily moved manually to lower the tube 20 a limited distance, so that the tool or implement O 30 is retracted from engagement with the surface worked upon.

The ,base 11 permits of a swinging, as desired, of the tool or implement 30 to different positions without shift;

ing the location of the base 1 1. The lift can, of course, be readily shifted by being manually dragged over the floor oriother support upon which the base 11 rests.

I claim:

1. A fluid pressure operated lift for fluid operated tools comprising a first tube, a spherical support for the lower end of the first tube, a fluid connection for supplying fluid under pressure to said support, a guide member carried by the upper end of the first tube and having an openingtherethrough of smaller diameter than the interior of the first tube, a second tube extending through said opening and into the interior of said first tube, said tubes having their interiors in communication, a head on the interiorly disposed portion of said second tube in engagement with the interior of said first tube, packing members carried by said head and in engagement with the interior of said first tube for preventing fluid leakage, a tool support on the exteriorly disposed portion of said. second tube, a fluid supply connection from said second tube to said tool support, and means for oscillating said a tool support longitudinally axially of said tubes against the forceof the fluid pressure within said tubes.

2. A fluid pressure operated lift for fluid operated tools comprising a first tube, a spherical support for the lower end of the first tube, a fluid connection for supplying fluid under pressure to said support, a guide member carried by the upper end of the firsttube and having an opening therethrough of smaller diameter than the interior of the first tube, a second tube extending through said opening and into the interior of said first tube, said tubes having theirinteriors in communication, a head on the interiorly disposed portion of said second tube in engagement with the interior of said first tube, packing members carried by said head and in engagement with the interior of said first tube for preventing fluid leakage, a tool support on the exteriorly disposed portion of said second tube, a fluid supply connection from said second tubeto said tool support, and means for oscillating said tool support longitudinally axially of said tubes against the force of the fluid pressure within said tubes including a lever and a link interposed between said tubes for moving said second tube with respect to said first tube.

3. A fluid pressure operated lift for fluid operated tools comprising a first tube, a spherical support for the lower end of the first tube, a fluid connection for supplying fluid under pressure to said support, a guide member carried by the upper end of the first tube and having an opening therethrough of smaller diameter than the interior of the first tube, a second tube extending through said opening and into the interior of said first tube, said tubes having their interiors in communication, ahead on the interiorly disposed portion of said second tube in engagement with the interior of said first tube, packing mem' bers carried by said head and in engagement with the interior of said first tube for preventing fluid leakage, a tool support on the exteriorly disposed portion of said second tube, a fluid supply connection from said second tube to said tool support, and means for oscillating said tool support longitudinally axially of said tubes against the force of the fluid pressure within said tubes including a clamp adjustably secured to said second tube, a link pivotally connected to said clamp, and a lever pivotally connected to said first tube to which said link is pivotally connected.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,323,555 Matthews et a1. July 6, 1943 2,424,115 Powell July 15, 1947 2,503,748 Kollmorgen Apr. 1], 1950 

